HYDERABAD, OCT 16: Jammu and Kashmir’s hopes of chasing down a formidable target of 181 were thwarted by Haryana’s all-round superiority as the latter secured a convincing 50-run victory in the Women’s Under-19 T20 Tournament in Hyderabad on Friday. Despite an explosive counterattacking innings from Shweta Rana and a fighting contribution from Kayinat Bakshi, J&K could not overcome the pressure created by Haryana’s commanding batting display and disciplined bowling attack.
Haryana’s victory was built on a formidable batting partnership between captain Tanishka Sharma and Pari Kanwar, whose contrasting yet complementary approaches propelled the team to 180 runs in 20 overs. Tanishka anchored the innings with an authoritative 71 off 53 deliveries, striking 11 fours and a six, while Pari unleashed an aggressive 54 off just 34 balls, including eight boundaries and a six.
The duo ensured that Haryana maintained control of the scoring rate, turning their innings into a challenging assignment for the J&K bowling unit. Their substantial contributions provided the platform for a competitive total and put Haryana in a strong position heading into the second innings.
J&K’s chase, however, got off to a disappointing start as Aleeza Jan and captain Shambhavi Rajput were dismissed for four and one run, respectively. Losing two early wickets put the batting side on the back foot and forced the middle order to undertake the difficult task of rebuilding the innings while keeping pace with the required run rate.
Kayinat Bakshi and Shweta Rana emerged as the principal resistance for J&K, combining composure and attacking intent to revive the chase. Kayinat played a measured innings of 45 off 43 balls, hitting four boundaries and providing stability at one end. Rana brought a different dimension to the partnership, launching an aggressive assault that briefly threatened to turn the contest around.
Scoring 46 off 30 deliveries, Rana struck three fours and four sixes, showcasing her power-hitting ability and refusing to allow Haryana’s bowlers to settle into a comfortable rhythm. Her attacking stroke play injected fresh energy into the chase, while Kayinat’s steady presence helped maintain the innings’ structure.
However, Haryana responded with timely breakthroughs to prevent the partnership from developing into a match-winning stand. Once the resistance was broken, J&K struggled to sustain the scoring momentum required to challenge the target. Ridhima Rajput remained unbeaten on 13, while Manya Banotra contributed 12, but the lower order could not compensate for the early setbacks and the pressure of the demanding chase.
Taniya Gujjar spearheaded Haryana’s bowling effort with two wickets, while Nitya Malik and Pari Yadav claimed one wicket apiece. Their disciplined approach restricted J&K’s recovery and ensured that the advantage gained through Haryana’s batting was converted into a comfortable victory.
Earlier, J&K’s bowlers had managed to make some inroads into Haryana’s batting line-up, with Aleeza Jan taking two wickets and Sakshi Sharma and Ridhima Rajput adding one each. Nevertheless, Tanishka and Pari’s partnership proved decisive, enabling Haryana to post a total that ultimately remained beyond J&K’s reach.
The result underlined the importance of building partnerships and maintaining consistency across all departments in the Under-19 format. Haryana capitalised on its batting depth and followed it with effective bowling, while J&K showed considerable fighting spirit through the middle order but could not recover sufficiently from the early loss of wickets.
While Tanishka Sharma and Pari Kanwar laid the foundation for Haryana’s victory with commanding half-centuries, Shweta Rana’s fearless counterattack stood out for J&K. Her 46-run knock provided a glimpse of the side’s fighting potential, but Haryana’s collective performance ultimately proved decisive.
